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As the second largest colony and possessor of one of the American colonies' most important ports, the state of New York played a major role in the Revolutionary War. More than one-third of the war’s battles occurred in New York, with the Continental Army holding the vital Hudson River and the British controlling New York City. Visitors to New York with an interest in history will find a wealth of Revolutionary War landmarks, from battlefields in scenic parks to buildings that sheltered Revolutionary War greats.

Historic Battlefields

Saratoga National Historic Park in Stillwater was the site of one of the most important battles of the war. At the 1777 Battle of Saratoga, the Colonial Army defeated a major British force and swung the war's momentum. In the park are the Saratoga Monument and the battlefield itself, now a serene area along the Hudson River. Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site in Oriskany marks one of the bloodiest conflicts in the war, when the British ambushed a contingent of colonial militiamen. Newtown battlefield, now a state park in Elmira, witnessed a large-scale conflict during the Colonial Army’s Sullivan-Clinton campaign, which targeted Native American tribes allied with the British.

It Happened Here

The Skenesborough Museum in Whitehall commemorates the town’s role as the “Birthplace of the U.S. Navy.” The Colonial Army captured the area in 1774, and colonists there built the first warships to confront the British. Mount Gulian in Fishkill, now a historic site, served as the headquarters for Gen. Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben, the drillmaster who whipped the Colonial Army into shape. Gen. George Washington’s headquarters in Newburgh, now a state historic site, served as Washington’s base for crucial months in 1782 and 1783. The Revolutionary War Cemetery in Salem contains more than 100 soldiers from the Revolutionary War.

Strategic Forts

Fort Ticonderoga in Adirondack Park protected the waterway between Lake Champlain and Lake George. The capture of the fort in 1775 marked the first major strategic victory for the Colonial Army. Today, this restored landmark offers re-enactments, tours, musket demonstrations and musical performances. Fort Montgomery State Historic Site allows guests to explore fortification ruins across 14 acres. Fort Montgomery was the site of a brutal battle between American and British soldiers over access to the Hudson River. Fort Edward in eastern New York saw action on both sides of the conflict. British Gen. John Burgoyne occupied the town in the buildup to the Battle of Saratoga, and afterward Fort Edward served as an American garrison.

Revolutionary New York City

Manhattan’s Fraunces Tavern, established in 1719 and still operating as a bar and restaurant, was a meeting place for the Sons of Liberty. At the end of the war in 1783, Washington hosted a feast there to commemorate the departure of British troops from New York. Washington read of the Declaration of Independence to his troops in City Hall Park, and the park also reportedly served as the execution site for revolutionary hero Nathan Hale. The Morris-Jumel Mansion, Manhattan’s oldest house, served as Washington’s base for the 1776 Battle of Harlem Heights. The Battle of Brooklyn, the first major battle after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, occurred at what is now Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn.

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About the Author

Douglas Matus is the travel writer for "West Fort Worth Lifestyle" magazine, and spent four years as the Director of Humanities for a college-prep school in Austin. Since 2005, he has published articles on education, travel and culture in such publications as "Nexus," "People's World" and "USA Today." Matus received an Education Pioneers fellowship in 2010 and an MFA from CalArts in 2011.